Revised Common Lectionary (Complementary)
False Prophets Judged
5 This is what the Lord says
concerning the prophets
who lead my people astray,(A)
who proclaim(B) peace
when they have food to sink their teeth into
but declare war against the one
who puts nothing in their mouths.
6 Therefore, it will be night(C) for you—
without visions;
it will grow dark for you—
without divination.(D)
The sun will set(E) on these prophets,
and the daylight will turn black over them.
7 Then the seers will be ashamed(F)
and the diviners disappointed.(G)
They will all cover their mouths[a](H)
because there will be no answer from God.(I)
8 As for me, however, I am filled with power(J)
by the Spirit of the Lord,
with justice and courage,
to proclaim to Jacob his rebellion
and to Israel his sin.(K)
Zion’s Destruction
9 Listen to this, leaders of the house of Jacob,(L)
you rulers of the house of Israel,
who abhor justice(M)
and pervert everything that is right,
10 who build Zion with bloodshed(N)
and Jerusalem with injustice.
11 Her leaders issue rulings for a bribe,(O)
her priests teach for payment,(P)
and her prophets practice divination for money.
Yet they lean on the Lord, saying,
“Isn’t the Lord(Q) among us?
No disaster will overtake us.”
12 Therefore, because of you,
Zion will be plowed like a field,
Jerusalem will become ruins,(R)
and the hill of the temple mount(S)
will be a thicket.(T)
Psalm 43[a]
1 Vindicate me, God, and defend my cause
against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from the deceitful and unjust man.(A)
2 For You are the God of my refuge.
Why have You rejected me?
Why must I go about in sorrow
because of the enemy’s oppression?(B)
3 Send Your light and Your truth; let them lead me.(C)
Let them bring me to Your holy mountain,
to Your dwelling place.(D)
4 Then I will come to the altar of God,
to God, my greatest joy.(E)
I will praise You with the lyre,
God, my God.(F)
5 Why am I so depressed?
Why this turmoil within me?
Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him,
my Savior and my God.(G)
9 For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers. Working(A) night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. 10 You are witnesses,(B) and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously,(C) and blamelessly(D) we conducted ourselves with you believers. 11 As you know, like a father with his own children,(E) 12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God,(F) who calls you into His own kingdom(G) and glory.(H)
Reception and Opposition to the Message
13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the message about God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is,(I) the message of God,(J) which also works effectively in you believers.
Religious Hypocrites Denounced
23 Then(A) Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples:(B) 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses.[a](C) 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do,[b] because they don’t practice what they teach.(D) 4 They tie up heavy loads that are hard to carry[c] and put them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves aren’t willing to lift a finger[d] to move them.(E) 5 They do everything[e] to be observed by others: They enlarge their phylacteries[f](F) and lengthen their tassels.[g](G) 6 They love the place of honor at banquets, the front seats in the synagogues,(H) 7 greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by people.
8 “But as for you, do not be called ‘Rabbi,’ because you have one Teacher,[h] and you are all brothers.(I) 9 Do not call anyone on earth your father, because you have one Father, who is in heaven.(J) 10 And do not be called masters either, because you have one Master,[i] the Messiah. 11 The greatest among you will be your servant.(K) 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.(L)
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